5 DAYS / 4 NIGHT EXAMPLE ITINERARY

Remember that all excursions and times on this sample itinerary are subject to change and largely depend on weather, season, group limitations, group interests, and guide decisions based on passenger safety and organized operations.

DAY 1:

At the Quito International Airport you will be met by one of our La Selva representatives in the National Departure area. Here they will assist you with the check-in process and give you a short briefing about the journey.

After a 30 minute commercial flight to Puerto Francisco de Orellana «El Coca», our representative will transfer you by private transportation to the city’s main dock at the Napo River. The next two hours will be on a motorized canoe heading down river on what will be the beginning of an unforgettable experience in the tropical rainforest, the Amazon.

At the end of the motorized canoe ride, you will be dropped off at La Selva’s main dock and your first close encounter with the rainforest begins and the final leg of the trip to the lodge will be completed in a paddle canoe. The only thing you must take care of during this part of the trip is your carry-on and camera equipment, all other luggage will be transported by La Selva staff.

The manager will be waiting to greet you with a refreshing juice, snacks and a short briefing with general information about your stay at La Selva.

4:30 pm:  Intro To The Rainforest

One of the Naturalist Guides will give you basic info about the tropical rainforest, the Amazon, and how La Selva operates. The idea is to begin your activities with background knowledge of the amazing place you have just arrived to.

5:00 pm – Matapalo Trail

This trail was given the Spanish name of the famous Strangler fig (Ficus sp), one of many remarkable trees that you can find on this short walk. Mahogany trees over 400 years old can be seen and your guides will share their knowledge of the flora and fauna. Due to the time of day there is great natural light and the diurnal and nocturnal animals are beginning their daily transitional activities.

7:00 pm – Snacks

At the bar you can find snacks and order cocktails from the bartender. Or, feel free to help yourself to limitless tea and coffee.

7:30 – Dinner

Dinner will be served at this time. Find your seat and get comfortable while our waiters serve you each course.

DAY 2: Full Day of Activities

6:00 am – Wake Up CAll

6:30 am Breakfast

7:00 am Observation Tower & Tucaneta Trail

After a 20 minute walk the observation tower comes into sight. This amazing construction will allow you to climb 120 ft above the forest. Your Naturalist and Native guides will help you spot the colorful birds of the Amazon, maybe even certain primates.

On the way back from the tower there is the option of taking the Tucaneta Trail where your Native Guide can show you some of the medicinal plants still in use today and your Naturalist Guide will provide you with interesting info on the ecology and natural history of the Amazon.

1:00 PM – Lunch

4:30 pm – Charapa Trail This trail goes on for about an hour beginning at the lodge and ending by the edge of the lagoon. It is a great loop where different mammals, monkeys and birds can been seen that come closer to the lagoon at this time looking for food. It is also perfect for witnessing an Amazonian sunset from the water in the canoe.

6:40 pm – Night Canoe Ride

With the help of a spot light your guides will take you around the lagoon via canoe looking for nighttime wildlife. This is also a great opportunity for star gazing!

7:30 pm – Dinner

DAY 3:  Full Day of Activities

6:00 am – Wake Up Call

6:30 am – Breakfast

7:00 am – Parrot Clay Lick and Mandi Wasi

Today you will make your way back to the Napo River and take a motorized canoe ride to the clay licks, one of the most fascinating displays of the wild world. Hundreds of parrots and parakeets gather here to eat the mineral rich soil, an important part of their diet. Binoculars are essential to really capture the moment.

After the clay licks we will take you to experience our Cultural Activity. An Amazonian Kichua woman will welcome you at their community center to share their life of the Kichua’s in the Amazon. This is special because it is part of the Amazon you do not find on the maps and provides the special and unique opportunity to really get to learn more about the people of the Amazon.

1:00 pm Lunch

4:30 pm – Coto Trail

This is a fantastic walk that takes off from the lodge to the edge of the Garzacocha Lagoon. In the afternoon th elight from the sun will come from behind most of the time, making this walk an amazing experience and the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this amazing forest. Groups of black-mantled tamarin monkeys can be spotted on this walk and some of our groups have even seen tapirs too.

Your Naturalist Guide is going to explain about all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide is going to explain about all the different creatures that can be found and our Native Guide will show you some of the medical plants that they have been using for thousands of years. A canoe ride back to the lodge makes a great ending for this activity.

7:30 pm – Dinner

DAY 4: Full Day of Activities

6:00 am – Wake Up Call

6:30 am – Breakfast

7:00 am – Mandi Forest Adventure

Not all lodges can offer an exotic trip into deep wilderness like where you are headed on this adventure. We will walk through an amazing primary forest for around 3 to 4 hours beginning at our main dock back at the Napo River. In this type of ecosystem there are chances to find some of the biggest mammals of the rainforest, like peccaries or wild pigs, deer or tapir.

Eventually we will reach the lagoon of Mandi Cocha. Here we get into a fiberglass canoe and paddle through the amazing Igapo Forest. This is a temporary flooded black water forest. Here we might see different species of birds and some of our guests, who are extra lucky, may encounter the elusive giant otter.

12:30 pm – Lunch

4:30 am – Garzacocha Lagoon and Ceiba Trail

This lagoon is one of the most beautiful in all the Ecuadorian Amazon. During this trip is when we have higher chances of spotting different species of monkeys and birds. Sometimes huge groups of squirrel monkeys join families of capuchin monkeys to look for food. Howler monkeys also like to spend the late afternoon around the lagoon and you can hear their tremendous calls echoing on the lake. We may even see the famous pimy armoset, which is the smallest monkey in the world. At La Selva we have 7 primate species that can be seen.

More wildlife that can be seen include the Hoatzin, a famous bird with a very strange appearance and adaptations, toucans, macaws, and many other species of birds.

6:30 – Nocturnal Walk On a night walk we give you the chance to enjoy the creatures and sounds of the Amazon Jungle at night. Sometimes we can see amazing things during this activity. Make sure that you bring a flashlight for this fantastic experience.

7:15 pm – Departure Briefing Our manager will provide you all the necessary information about your departure procedure for the next morning.

7:30 – Dinner

DAY 5: Departure Day

6:00 am – Wake Up Call

6:30 am – Breakfast

7:00 am – Departure for Coca

In accordance to your briefing the night before, you will have an early wake up call, breakfast and departure from the lodge.

The lodge staff will assist you with your checked luggage and the motorized canoe ride will head upstream back to Coca, where our representatives will take you to the airport to help you with your checked luggage and boarding passes.

 During your free time in between activities you can use our kayaks, swim in the lagoon, have a massage or just relax in your room and have a nap!

Sample itinerary subject to change according to weather conditions or guide decisions. On the last day of your visit at La Selva, there will be no scheduled activities as you will be leaving in the morning to catch your flight in Coca returning to Quito.